At SageSim we have an modeler to show you the payback you could see by installing a green system at home. You will be surprised that it takes a significant time to recoup the costs of going green.
http://www.sagesim.com/Models/sgs_r2.htm

Stan, the clear scientific evidence would lead us to "go along with" all four items you listed.
But you may be missing the larger point, which is that the economic reasons for developing renewable energy are by themselves enough reason to invest heavily in it. China is making a strong move to become the technology and production leader in this industry.

Yo Neo1: We have in Canada the second largest deposit of oil in the world; conservative estimates range from 300 billion to 1 trillion barrels of recoverable oil in the Alberta/Saskatchewan oil sands. The Chinese are now becoming major players here supplanting the Americans for whom this oil is not "green enough"- whatever that means. Say what you want about the current Chinese leadership: they have no self doubts about their country or where it is going. Neither, for that matter, has Canada. We will produce and refine this oil regardless of all the wacko environmental groups out there.The Great White North rules!

Yes, China is now funding green technology because of the favorable balance of payments running to billions of $$$. They take the time to enhance their per-capita with black coal and once everyone has enough $$ in his pocket they will thin of going green. Well, I don't fault them and there is nothing astonishing in this turn of events- once you grow to a certain size it makes perfect sense to look at green energy and technology because that is going to be the big $$ earner in the future. It has nothing to do with concern for environment.
Just one news, say of new discoveries of oil which can last a hundred years or more will turn these initiatives by 180 degrees!

You can believe what you like about the merits or dangers of CO2 but you can't deny that China is moving full steam ahead to build an industrial sector to develop and manufacture a variety of renewable energy technologies. An industry that has the potential to dominate world markets.

Stan: So what you are saying is that since we are going to hell in a hand basket we should just close our eyes and enjoy the ride? It is global climate change, not just global warming, just turn on weather channel you have to admit the global climate is messed up. Actually since human has so much impact on almost all aspects of the environment, it is hard to believe the CO2 produced by human has no impact on the environment. Also, we you are peddling here is beside the point, China needs to clean up not because of CO2, just look at the the skies in China and take a deep breath you will understand the power of human being (in screwing up the environment.)

While this is an interesting article I have to ask: What is wrong with CO2? Aren't you exhaling it right now? Don't plants use it for food? Hasn't it been around forever? The emperor has no clothes. To go along with this you need to believe ALL of the following:
1.) The planet is warming(there is some debate)
2.) It is caused by man's CO2 emissions.(Some data shows CO2 lags temp rise)
3.) The results will be catastrophic.(Do we know what the proper temperature is?)
4.) We can do something about it. (Even the GW folks admit that massive changes in emissions will do very little)
There. I feel better. :)

Hi, my comment on al this is verry simpel !
As long as, (special the west Europeen) governments depent from taxes comming from oil products they don't gona promote the EV's and renuable energy scources !
Only people like me (and?)shell try to switch over on renuable energy and EV's.
Again, the investments in time and money has to comme from the simple man like always !!

Anybody ever counted how many jobs have been created for Green development? My current guess is millions from a simple assembly worker to high pay RD engineers. Feed-in-taff is a government sponsored system, same concept across the whole world not China-only program. The subsidy can be used to create an industry in their own country, or just hand over the whole industry to China eventually. If the politician can just learn from China, we will find our money is not used on social welfare for unemployment but to create millions of jobs for an industry.